In the aftermath of disgraced Kentucky Attorney Eric Conn’s disability scheme, many of his former clients were told they owed money to the government. In 2017, Conn was convicted of bribing doctors to create falsified medical records and get his clients more government benefits. Recently, however, the Social Security Administration began notifying former Conn clients that they no longer owe money to the government, and those who had already paid would be refunded.
Ned Pillersdorf is an Attorney in Prestonsburg who has been representing former Conn clients. He said before the change, victims’ lives were greatly impacted by various trials and hearings.
“They’ve targeted about 4,000 former Conn clients, and we’ve had this criminal cloud hanging over us. They’ve been calling me for the last six years; ‘Do I need to sell my stuff? I may not have the money to put my kid through college. I may lose everything if they put me through a hearing,’” said Pillersdorf.
Pillersdorf said the Social Security Administration based their hearings on a misconception.
“There are still almost 2,000 people who were told they’d be put through these accusatory hearings. The accusatory hearings were basically premised on the fact that Conn’s clients were always considered to be Conn’s coconspirators,” said Pillersdorf. “Which is nonsense. There’s zero evidence they were involved in Conn’s wrongdoings. In fact, you won’t find a former client who met Mr. Conn.”
The solution also restructures the way victims will have hearings, going through the normal review process.
Conn’s disability scheme ran from 2004 to 2016. He was sentenced to 12 years in his 2017 plea deal, but after a months-long escape attempt his sentence was increased by 15 years.